Stars of Destiny Series
by Delphine Pryde
Summary: Short stories based around member of the Liberation Army. Suikoden 1 fic.
1. Chifuku Star (Apple)

Disclaimer: I don't own Suikoden characters

Disclaimer: I don't own Suikoden characters.

Chifuku Star

By Delphine

One of the things I realized very early in my life is that so few people truly understand me. I suppose that's not so difficult to imagine, after all one very rarely understands ones self-much less another. But HE understood me, much more so then anyone else had even my own mother.

Forgive me, it seems I've gotten away with myself. My name is Apple, born and raised in Seika and come from good old farmer stock, which is evident in my appearance. I have course mousy brown hair that I keep cut shoulder length and the apple green eyes that gave me my name. My skin is a moderate natural tan not the deep bronze of those in Seika who actually enjoy being outside.

I believe it was my rejection to the ruff and tumble games so loved by other youths that first set me apart. While others would spend their free time outside I would be inside studying, researching. It wasn't for some time that I found a mentor for my obsessive need for knowledge. Mathiu Silverberg seemed godsend to the child that I was. From the moment he took over as Seika's teacher I started to build my whole life around him.

I remember clearly when I first found out Master Mathiu had joined the Liberation army. "Are you sure?" I had practically screamed at the top of my lungs.

The girl in question was Tammy, a stocky blond that wore her hair in pigtails and was covered in freckles. She had smoothed out an unseen wrinkle in her homespun blue dress before replying in her high pitched voice that never failed to get on my nerves, "I'm sure. Saw 'em myself I did." She had glanced behind, interest showing in her bark brown eyes. "That's Commander Heero that just walked in," she whispered to me as if I was one of her girlfriends.

I turned around with a frown on my face. As I caught my first glimpse of Heero McDohl I found myself surprised. The leader of the Liberation Army was only a few years older than me! He had dark hair that was kept back with a green bandanna and deep brown eyes that had seen much pain. He was accompanied by five others, of which I learned their names at a later date.

First was Meg, a blond, pony-tailed trickster the same age as me. Then there was Kirkis, a blond elf, and his lavender-haired girlfriend Sylvina, daughter of the deceased Chief of the Elves. Finally there were the blond former servants of General Teo McDohl, Gremio and Cleo.

"So you're the one that forced Master Mathiu to join when he promised he would never fight again!" I yelled at Heero.

Cleo gasped at my audacity. "Master Heero would never force anyone to do anything against their will," Gremio declared.

"I don't believe you," I said, sneering. These people had taken away the one person in my life that understood me and I wasn't about to show any mercy. With my mind made up I said with slow, seething words, "I'll find out myself if you're telling the truth." That was how I ended up at Toran Castle as a member of the Liberation Army.

It wasn't all that hard to procure a ride to the lake castle. Once there I was able to bully my way through with very little trouble, straight to where Master Mathiu resided. He explained to me that he had made his decision to join the Liberation Army on his own. After he talked me into joining too.

Do I regret it? No. I learned many things during my time in the Liberation Army. That time I wouldn't trade for all the True Runes in the world. After all I pride myself on learning all my lessons well.


	2. Chikatsu Star (Lorelai)

Disclaimer: Don't own Suikoden. Chiko and Eldand are mine.

Chikatsu Star

By Delphine

I was born in a small village by the name of Chiko the youngest of five and the only girl. You wouldn't have heard of it, the only thing left of it now is ashes and broken pieces of woods. My mother died due to birthing complications. She lived long enough to give me my name, Lorelai.

My father, God rest his soul, tried his best to raise me as a proper lady. I didn't take. Eventually he just let me be. I learned my skills with the bow from my older brother Eldand. I was so good that Eldand would take me with him when he went hunting.

One day we came back to the village only to find it totally destroyed, our family and the other villagers all slaughtered like animals. To this day I don't know who was responsible, though I have searched far and wide for the answer.

We buried the bodies of those we found each push of the shovel sending a pang through my already aching heart. How devastated I was! I cried until I fell asleep from exhaustion. That was the last time I ever cried.

Eldand and I traveled the world for a few years until tragedy decided to blacken my already torn soul. A large group of bandits attacked us without warning. They outnumbered us ten to two. We would have to run as soon as we got the chance.

I had stared into the leader's face, defiantly. The burly man's eyes had roamed across my body, taking in the blue traveling outfit I wore to the jet black hair I kept in a ponytail. His lecherous smile let me know exactly what he had planned for me.

Eldand had seen that look too, for he launched himself at the bandit. "Run, Lorelai, I'll catch up later!" he shouted over his shoulder.

Eldand's attack had distracted the others, allowing me to escape with no trouble. I didn't hesitate following his orders. Eldand was good; I had no doubt in my mind that he could escape as well. He was just waiting for me to get away first.

I made it safely to Kaku. I rented a room at the local inn, thinking that my brother would be tired when he finally caught up. I then went down to the main room and order myself some dinner.

To my interest a strange group entered the inn, lead by an attractive teenage boy with long black hair covered by a green bandanna. As he spotted me, noting my out fit and bow, he headed over. He introduced himself as Heero McDohl, leader of the Liberation Army. He then mentioned the fact that they were recruiting. Naive boy wasn't he? I could have been an Imperial spy for goodness sake! I decided to point that out to him in a less than obvious manner. I f the kid has any brains he'd be able to figure it out.

I made a big production of checking his out, circling him like a vulture. The poor kid was blushing by the time I resumed my previous position. "You are not strong enough," I stated. "Come back when you've improved."

"How dare you!" burst out one of his companions, a blond with a scar on his cheek.

"It's alright, Gremio," spoke Heero. "We'll come back later, in a week maybe."

A week would be plenty of time for my brother to make his way here, I had thought. I was wrong. He never came.

Heero returned to the inn exactly a week later. "Am I strong enough now?" he challenged.

There was sadness in his eyes that hadn't existed before, a sadness I saw every time I looked into the mirror. I nodded. Eldand was dead, I knew, there was no point in staying in Kaku. "I suppose I'll join you, got nothing better to do."

The Liberation Army took me to the castle of Toran, renamed Auron Castle. The inventor Sergei in the castle's basement greeted me. He bid me to take his invention, the elevator, to the next floor but I declined. I'd rather not trust my life to a machine, so I took the stairs. The first floor had a few stores and an inn run by a woman named Marie. Some others spent their time wondering around like Camille the She-Devil and swordsman Viktor. But what interested me the most was a man that had long black hair with a patch a gold-white on the top. I'd seen hair like that on only one person.

"Sydonia?" I whispered.

The man swung to face me, his face full of surprise. "Lorelai?" he asked his voice full of wonder.

I nodded, barely able to contain the happiness swelling inside of me. Sydonia was the youngest of my older brothers, thought to be dead, and here he was! "How?" I exclaimed.

He shook his head. "You don't want to know," he said his voice going cold before he asked more warmly, "How did you survive?"

"Remember, I was out hunting with Eldand. When we got back the town had already been destroyed."

"So Eldand's alive?" he asked.

"N-no, he got killed by some bandits a week ago." I lowered my eyes.

"I see." He drew in a deep breath, emotional pain wracking his face. "I guess we have a lot to talk about."

I nodded. Eldand was dead but now I had Sydonia. A flame of hope stirred in my heart for the first time in years.


End file.
